The Warriors waived Shaun Livingston, with $2.2 million of his $7 million being guaranteed

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TORONTO, ON – JUNE 10: Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) dribbles against Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam (43) in the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Monday, June 10, 2019. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) goes up for a lay up past Houston Rockets’ James Harden (13) during the second half of Game 6 of their NBA second round playoff series at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Friday, May 10, 2019. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 118-113. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) grabs a rebound in front of Toronto Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard (2) during the third quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario on Monday, June 10, 2019. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) shoots past Houston Rockets’ Chris Paul (3) during the fourth quarter of Game 6 of their NBA second round playoff series at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Friday, May 10, 2019. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 118-113. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Shaun Livingston (34) of the Golden State Warriors high fives Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors after sinking a three as the Celtics take on the Warriors at the Garden on January 26, 2019 in Boston, MA. (Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 14: Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston #34 shoots over Portland Trail Blazers’ Zach Collins #33 in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against Shaun Livingston #34 and Matt Barnes #22 of the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter in Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 9, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) gestures after a foul while playing against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference finals at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. The Houston Rockets defeated the Golden State Warriors 127-105. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) knocks the ball out of the grasp of San Antonio Spurs’ Jonathon Simmons (17) during the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Sunday, May 14, 2017. The Golden State Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113-111. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Fans cheer as Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston rides on a double decker during the Warriors championship parade in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34), Stephen Curry (30) and JaVale McGee (1) hold their babies as Kevin Durant (35) looks on as they celebrate their championship after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, June 12, 2017. Warriors won their second championship title in three years against the same team, the Cavaliers. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) exits the court after winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 31, 2018. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) is photographed during the Golden State Warriors Media Day at Rakuten Performance Center in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Shaun Livingston #34 of the Golden State Warriors dunks against the Houston Rockets in the second half of Game Two of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 16, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) ties his shoes while warming up before Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference semifinals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors’ Shaun Livingston (34) fights for the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Richard Jefferson (24) in the third quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

In hopes to shed salary and enhance roster flexibility, the Warriors will waive veteran Shaun Livingston before his $7.7 million contract becomes fully guaranteed on Wednesday, a league source confirmed to Bay Area News Group. ESPN first reported the news.

The Warriors had planned to part ways with Livingston’s salary, but they had mutually agreed to push back making a decision to July 10 so they could assemble most of their roster before making a decision. The Warriors also explored trading Livingston, but it became difficult to find anyone willing to take on salary for a player that had fought various ailments in his 15th NBA season. By waiving Livingston, the Warriors will only owe Livingston about $2.2 million his $7 million contract. The Warriors plan to stretch out those payments through the next three seasons, equaling about $733,000 per year.

The Warriors mostly made that move so their payroll could be closer to the so-called hard cap put in place after agreeing to acquire D’Angelo Russell as part of a sign-and-trade to Brooklyn for Kevin Durant. It also did not help, though, that Livingston averaged a career-low in points (4.0) and second-lowest in assists (1.8). The Warriors never evaluated Livingston on his numbers, but he also missed a combined 16 games last season because of various ailments to his left knee, right foot and neck as well as for rest purposes.

Livingston, who will turn 34 in September, has told Bay Area News Group and other outlets, that he would consider retiring after the 2019-10 season partly because of those ailments. He had left his options open so that he could further reflect during the offseason and consult with his family. Despite the Warriors’ planned cost-cutting move, Livingston may be interested in joining a championship contender.

Livingston had also expressed interest in joining a team’s front office, and the Warriors are open toward that idea. They have long valued his basketball smarts and collaboration. All of which made him a valuable role player for the Warriors in the past four years. And, to think, it appeared unlikely Livingston would ever have such a role.

Three years after the Los Angeles Clippers selected Livingston No. 4 overall in the 2004 NBA draft directly out of high school, Livingston suffered what was presumed to be a career-ending injury. On Feb. 26, 2007, Livingston went up in the air for a fast-break layup before his left foot landed at a nearly 90-degree angle. He had broken his left leg and dislocated his left knee cap. He had torn his anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus. And he also sprained his medial collateral ligament.

Livingston missed 101 of 246 regular-season games in his first three seasons. After receiving clearance to resume playing basketball in the 2008 offseason, Livingston then bounced around with nine NBA teams and one Development League affiliate before joining the Warriors for their 2015 NBA championship run.